Just Not Feeling It...but Doing it Anyway

I sit here at my computer thinking about Advent, the season of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, when we remember to welcome Jesus the Messiah into our world and our lives again. Only I'm not feeling as hopeful, peaceful, joyful, and full of love as I would like to be experiencing. I'm having some trouble treating others like I should be...as if they were Jesus Christ himself. I keep bumping into my own selfish feelings and desires when I try to help others.

I get my feelings hurt by what people say and do just like anyone else. I'm not immune to anger at the actions and words of others anymore than you are. However, given my role as your pastor, I have to carefully think about my reactions to others, my words to them, my actions toward them, and ask myself that not so easy question: "Am I being Christ to them? Am I treating them as if they were Christ?" Sometimes the answer is a refreshing, "Yes!", and sometimes I have to admit to myself that it is a disappointing, "No!"

There is another dimension to the answer though and that is: does the other person perceive my words and deeds as helpful to them? Sometimes the answer is "Yes" and sometimes it is "No." But when the answer is "No" does that mean that I have failed that person, or not done the Christ-like thing? I have a feeling that doing the Christ-like thing isn't always taken as being kind and helpful to others. Sometimes doing the right thing for someone else is very difficult for me to do and difficult for them to receive.

I believe that it was very difficult for Jesus to always do the Christ-like thing in his ministry to others. I think of his interactions with the Pharisees and religious lawyers and the Sanhedrin and priests and I know he must have felt great frustration at their inability to comprehend the truth about their lives and the scripture. They were so immersed in their own history, society, and reasoning that they couldn't see the truth Jesus was giving to them, or they refused to take the truth to heart even when they could see it. Even his closest friends misunderstood him and his mission. But he kept himself focused on the goal of bringing God's Love to all in order to create God's community on earth.


So despite the fact that I don't always feel hope, peace, love and joy during Advent I have decided that I am going to follow Christ's lead and keep myself focused on communicating God's Love to everyone by trying to create God's Community of Hope-Peace-Love-and-Joy on earth right here in Seattle. I may be an imperfect servant, but I am a servant who is determined to succeed with God's help. I pray that you are, too.